TWINSBURG — Tanner Mintz converted to defense in 2022 after entering last season as a wide receiver .
The switch came to the forefront when the Archbishop Hoban High School junior outside linebacker made a one-handed catch to set the tone Friday night for what became the Knights' third shutout this year.
On the third play from scrimmage, Mintz intercepted a pass from Painesville Riverside senior quarterback Mikey Maloney and returned it 25 yards for a touchdown with 10:24 left in the first quarter.
"It definitely gets everyone riled up. It gives us momentum, and if the momentum's rolling then nothing's going to stop this defense," Mintz said.
Hoban added TDs in the first and third quarters on rushes of 1 and 8 yards by senior running back Caleb Jones en route to a 21-0 victory over Riverside in a Division II, Region 5 semifinal at Tiger Stadium.
With a regional championship at stake, Hoban (11-1) will face Walsh Jesuit (12-1) on Friday night at a site to be determined by the Ohio High School Athletic Association.
Walsh is coming off a 35-14 victory over Hudson (9-3).
In the regular season, Hoban routed Walsh 57-7 on Sept. 29 at Dowed Field in Akron.
"I'm excited," Mintz said of the looming rematch against Walsh . "Honestly, last game, they definitely had some guys down, so it was more of a lean towards us, but it's going to be a fun game."
Among the Walsh players who missed Hoban's lopsided win is standout senior running back and linebacker Brock Sherman . He has returned to action for the playoffs.
"We're not too worried about Walsh," Hoban free safety Ty Campbell said. "We're worried about ourselves. We're worried about the little things that we can do, not them. But we'll be good."
Coincidentally, Mintz said he became more familiar with Sherman as the two rivals rehabilitated injuries during physical therapy sessions earlier this season.
"He's a power athlete," Mintz said. "He's fast, he's mobile and he can run. So it's going to be tough, but I think we've got it."
Hoban should be confident after its defense dominated Riverside (10-3). Riverside finished with 195 passing yards but just 24 rushing yards on 24 carries. Hoban tallied two interceptions and forced four turnovers on downs.
It all started with Mintz's first pick six since he was a second grader playing peewee football.
"I think my adrenaline was running way too much. It's kind of a blur," Mintz said of the pivotal play. "I saw the running back [senior Jason Mackey], and I take the running back if he comes out. But I misplayed it. I played it a little wrong, but I had to make up for what I did, so I had to be an athlete and try to make the play."
Mintz compensated well enough to snatch Maloney's pass out of the air with his left hand before running to the end zone.
"He made a great, athletic play. He really did," Hoban coach Tim Tyrrell said. "He showed his old receiver hands, made a great play and it's a great way to start off a game. Our defense played unbelievable."
Hoban's defense is loaded. It boasts seven starters who have either committed to a Division I college football program or have multiple Division I offers.
Although Mintz is one of the starters without an offer, Campbell predicted he will eventually become a Division I recruit.
"He's a dog just like us," Campbell, a Central Michigan University commit , said. "... When we score on defense [like Mintz did], that brings everybody's confidence up. We got the hot hand, and then we just play off of it."
The 6-foot-1, 200-pound Mitz has capitalized on his move to defense. Mintz said he took an unofficial visit to Miami University this season and has received interest from Grand Valley State and Youngstown State.
"He's such a physical kid for not being the biggest kid in the world," Tyrrell said. "He throws his body everywhere."
Mintz said he had his hands positioned to record a second interception, but Jones grabbed the ball instead with 7:59 left in the fourth quarter. The takeaway occurred with Riverside facing first-and-goal at the Hoban 4-yard line and threatening to erase the Knights' shutout.
Jones isn't the only star on Hoban's offense who produced a key play on defense. During the second series of the game, sophomore Payton Cook broke up a Maloney pass on fourth-and-1 at the Riverside 49 for a turnover on downs with 7:04 remaining in the opening quarter. Thirteen plays later, Jones rushed for a 1-yard touchdown.
Jones finished with 102 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries. A starting wide receiver, Cook caught five passes for 45 yards from junior quarterback Tylan Boykin , who went 8-of-10 passing for 65 yards.
"With this team, we have so many people to back up [on defense], and they're all amazing athletes," Mintz said.
One of the defense's fixtures, Jordan Pritchard-Sewell , wreaked havoc throughout the game. The senior defensive tackle batted a pass, sacked Maloney once by himself and combined with outside linebacker Devin Bell on two other sacks.
"He had an amazing game," Mintz said of Pritchard-Sewell. "I love playing next to him."
Hoban earned back-to-back shutouts in September against East (39-0) and Cleveland St. Ignatius (35-0).
Another key position change for Hoban: From defending the pass to burning opponents with it, Tylan Boykin leads the Knights as quarterback
Mintz said the defensive front seven celebrated those performances with steak dinners, one prepared by his parents and the other by junior inside linebacker Eli Lee's parents.
It's time to fire up the grill again because Hoban's defense is sizzling.
College football recruiting: Archbishop Hoban three-star linebacker Eli Lee commits to Ohio State Buckeyes
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich .
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Hoban beats Painesville Riverside in OHSAA football playoffs
